


for a worthy victory

by orro



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-29 18:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13933071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orro/pseuds/orro
Summary: The One Eyed Owl and the Grim Reaper fight.





	for a worthy victory

**Author's Note:**

> This was written last summer for a zine that fell through. Hope you enjoy!

“Who do you think is going to win here?” The One Eyed Owl hisses as she dodges IXA’s lethal swing. 

Arima jumps back, careful of slipping in the pools of blood on the concrete. His white coat is covered, the bottom part drenched, and he has to blink away sweat that keeps falling into his eyes. Eto is better at words and what the other investigators take as a threat is only a reminder to Arima. 

No one will win today. Eto has killed a Rank Two investigator while Arima has slaughtered an SS rank ghoul. Both sides have lost at least a dozen each. Neither side has gained nor lost ground though Arima already can hear how the upper brass will declare this a triumph.

The growing legends of the One Eyed Owl and the Grim Reaper are the only victors here. 

He’s exhausted. Arima pierces the Owl’s kagune, letting her blood spray out, hearing her shriek of genuine pain. She understands that the fight is over for now and takes her chance to escape. Her fellow ghouls follow once they understand. 

Arima wipes at his forehead then startles a little when he realizes that he’s bleeding from a cut. He hadn't noticed; there’s been a throbbing pain in his arm and he drops IXA so he can grab at it, unsurprised to find a wound there. But it’s already closed up so it’s not that bad. 

Arima looks around to see med units rushing around. His usefulness is over now that there aren’t any ghouls to kill. It’s all he’s good for. 

He picks IXA back up and hurries off to catch up with Eto. 

She’s waiting three and a half kilometers away, leaning up against a busted light post, finishing wrapping a bandage around her torso. Her breathing is a little harsh but it evens out once she ties the bandage off. Eto finishes before looking up at Arima.

“Did you like my acting?” Eto asks, batting her eyelashes at him and twirling a piece of her hair. It’s wet and slick, darkened by her sweat and others’ blood. The buildings around them are all smashed, pieces of plywood and plaster scattered on the ground, broken glass littering what they don’t cover. Arima thinks he can see the bodies of a few ghouls and investigators.

“It’s better than mine,” Arima says. He often takes refuge in silence because he’s a coward. Eto gives a little mocking laugh but it’s true. 

“Why did you follow after me?” She asks, tossing him her roll of bandages.

He’s catches it, taking refuge in wrapping his arm to avoid her question. When he finishes Arima stares at her without answer and she looks down then back up at him. Her eyes are too shrewd, too knowing. She glances at the bodies, at the ever sprawling casualties of this war.

“I’ll guess then. You want something more. You don’t have second doubts but you’ve agreed to something and it’s not happening yet.” Eto smiles, all teeth. “As much as I wish I could kill you myself, it probably won’t happen; you’re too strong for the likes of me. I don’t like that but it’s true.”

Arima doesn’t say anything. He looks up at the sky instead. It should be nighttime but instead it’s morning; the battle has raged since a little after midnight and none of them noticed the rising sun.

“I don’t think I want to die yet,” Arima says. 

“Don’t lie to me,” Eto says, a little harsh. There’s no smile, no teasing giggle. She stands up tall despite her injury. Arima watches how her hand clenches and yearns to claw at him. “Not like that, at least. It doesn’t suit the Grim Reaper to be so pathetic. Keep on being greedy and living because the new king isn’t here yet.”

Arima doesn’t know what to say. All he has is this ache in his chest and the knowledge that this world of theirs is wrong. He has all this supposed strength and yet he can change nothing. All he can do is take and take. 

Eto gives hope to ghouls; she provides safety and meals. The more she attacks the CCG and survives, the more her fame grows, and the more ghouls flock to her. 

He supposedly does the same for the children of the Garden but how, when he’s nothing but a glorified murderer?

“I suggest you take up a hobby while you wait,” Eto says, and if there’s pity in her look, it’s lost under the hatred and incandescent rage. She doesn’t wait to hear anything more from him.

He doesn’t follow after her this time. Instead he slowly makes his way back to the other investigators, saying he was chasing down a stray ghoul when they question where he was. 

Arima arrives to his empty apartment and tosses his bloodied clothes into the trash before rinsing off. He’s absently reading through the newspaper when he recognizes one of the upcoming book authors. Arima taps on the blurb in thought. Perhaps he’ll purchase it, go to a signing and have it autographed. He’d love to meet the author. 

Eto might be amused to see him.

The rest of the words are hollow to him. But maybe if he repeats them enough someone else could believe them. All he needs to do is bide time until a viable successor to the One Eyed King’s title can come. 

Then he can leave behind something worthwhile and be at peace.


End file.
